31 May 2024

When Michal and his wife Gosia discovered their twins had developed Twin-to-Twin-Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), a call to Twins Trust helped the couple to understand all of the options available to them. It gave them the support they needed at a difficult time in their pregnancy.

Michal and his wife moved to the UK 10 years ago from Poland and settled in London. They found out they were expecting identical twins in February 2019. After announcing their joyful news, the doctor swiftly asked them: “Are you aware this is a high-risk pregnancy?” The couple were told they would get additional monitoring and scans and were informed about Twins Trust.

During one scan, they were told the twins had developed TTTS and were advised to either induce labour prematurely or undergo laser ablation surgery at their local hospital, Kings College. The couple turned to Twins Trust for reassurance about the surgery. 

Whilst the charity cannot provide medical advice, we can ensure that couples who are going through complications understand their options, their rights and are asking the right questions to their medical team. Michal said: “It was great to talk to people who understood. The moral and social support we received at a difficult time helped us through some challenging moments.”

The couple underwent successful laser ablation surgery, which prolonged the pregnancy for a few weeks. Henryk and Roman were born at 30 weeks via emergency c-section and spent time in neonatal care.

The boys are now healthy, happy four-year-olds enjoying school in Brighton. A move to the coast has meant the family can enjoy getting outdoors and spending time at the beach. It is this move that has inspired Michal to take part in the Big Steps for Small Feet challenge. Michal will join a team of other fundraisers for the challenging 42-kilometre trek across the South Downs.

He said: “We acknowledge that we have been extremely lucky, and we feel grateful for all the support we received from the medical staff, our families and friends and of course, Twins Trust. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Michal has involved the boys in his training. The whole family are doing shorter (4-7km) walks together at weekends, whilst Michal does longer (15-30km) treks during the week in preparation for the challenge. He hopes to inspire them to be active and give back to their community.

If you want to support Michal in his challenge, go to his JustGiving page.